Pharisaic

[ far-uh-sey-ik ]

adjective

1. of or relating to the Pharisees.
2. (lowercase) practicing or advocating strict observance of external forms and ceremonies of religion or conduct without regard to the spirit; self-righteous; hypocritical.

Pharisaic

/ ˌfærɪˈseɪɪk /

adjective

1. Judaism of, relating to, or characteristic of the Pharisees or Pharisaism
2. often not capital righteously hypocritical

Derived Forms

• ˌPhariˈsaicalness, noun
• ˌPhariˈsaically, adverb

Other Words From

• Phar·i·sa·i·cal·ly adverb
• Phar·i·sa·i·cal·ess noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Pharisaic¹

1610–20; < Late Latin Pharisaicus < Greek Pharisaikós. See Pharisee, -ic

Example Sentences

The suppression of the Pharisaic ordinances and the punishment of those who observed them led to some disturbance.

From Project Gutenberg

This Pharisaic panoply in which Tammany was clad, as in a coat of mail, was no small element of its strength.

From Project Gutenberg

Here they are leagued with the Sadducees, and are the declared foes of the Pharisaic party.

From Project Gutenberg

We all know how hackneyed the charge of spiritual pride and Pharisaic self-complacency is, and, thank God, how unjust it often is.

From Project Gutenberg

This largely resulted from the Pharisaic instinct that assumes superiority over other men.

From Project Gutenberg